Improvement in car-axle boxes



UNI'IED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GREENLEAF HOULTON, OF ST. ANDREWS, CANADA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-AXLE BOXES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 157,004, dated November17, 1874; application filed November 3, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GREENLEAF HoUL'roN, of St. Andrews, in the Provinceof New Bruns wick and Dominion of Canada, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Oar-Axle Boxes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon.

The object of my invention is such an improvement inautomatic-lubricating car-axle boxes as will make the same more simplein construction, more convenient and cconomical in use, and moreeffective in result; and my invention therein consists in a metal drawerof a peculiar construction; in combining with the same a peculiarlubricating device; also, in combining with the same the upper loosejournal-bearing, so that the same is fitted in place without any slack,and without the use of a wedge; and, finally, in the means whereby thedrawer is held in place, all as more fully hereinafter described.

In order to enable those skilled in the art to make and construct myaxle-box, I proceed to describe the same in connection with the drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, in which drawings-Figure l is avertical longitudinal section of my device; Fig. 2, anelevation of the inner end of same; Fig. 3, a front elevation of theouter end of same. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section; Fig. 5, aseparate view of the oiling apparatus, and Fig. 6 a separate view of thedrawer.

Similar letters denote corresponding parts in each figure.

The shell proper of the box, shown by the letter A, is a casting whichhas nothing peculiar in its external configuration, but on its interioris cut away in the walls on each side at points a a, near the topthereof, the cutaway portions extending to the bottom of the box, sothat when the drawer (hereafter to be described) shall be in place, itsside walls shall fill such cut-away portions. At the points a a,moreover, the shoulder is made with a groove, 12, upward, which groovemay be rectangular or circular, to correspond with the similar shape ofthe upper edges of the side walls of said drawer. The upper part B ofthe interior of the box is semi-cylindrical in cross-section; and hascast with it a semi-hexagonal projection, O, which occupies the centralportion of said upper part of the box, and is design ed to receive andhold the brass! or upper movable journal-bearing 0. Thisjournal-bearing, with a proper curvature on its under side to conform tothe outline of the journal, has its upper side 0 semi-hexagonal, withthree faces, to correspond, in all respects, with, and fit closely to,the semi-circular faces in the projection C. At the ends of thisjournal-bearing are lips d, which fit over the ends of the projection O,and hold such journal-bearing firmly in place longitudinally. At theinner end of the box A is a groove, 0, extending down its side walls,and in a line with the same, and in extension thereof, a slot, f, upthrough the inner end of said box, adapted for a slide, (preferably ofwood,) hereafter to be mentioned; and at the outer end of said box aregrooves g, extending the entire depth of the box, for the reception ofthe front slide. At the extreme front of the box, and at the center ofthe upper of the inside, there is a portion, 9, cut straight across, forthe passage of the front-slide spring, and immediately back of this agroove, for the reception of the end of such spring. The drawer-E is,preferably, a rectangular casting; but may be made of sheet metal,fitting closely into the box and extending its whole length, with thetop of its side walls h fitting into the grooves 1). Its front or outerendt' is cut away, as shown in the drawings, and its inner end also cutaway in circular form, has apackinggroove, is, for the reception ofleather or other proper packing. From this inner end j two partitions,F, arranged in parallel lines, extend toward the forward end of suchdrawer, but do not reach quite up to it. These partitions do not extendvertically above the lower parts of the cutaway portions of the end ofthe drawer, and they serve as boxes and guides for the wick-holder orlubricator G. This lubricator is composed of a metallic frame having atop piece, I, which. may be channeled to receive and hold the wick moresecurely, with cylindrical shells m to receive and hold the upper endsof spiral springs n, and, with a central spring, 0, to permit thepassage of a portion, of the wick which extends to the bottom of thedrawer.

The wick H, which may be any of the proper wicks now in use, but ispreferably made of woolen fabric, and strips of coarse blankets or othercoarse woolen cloths have been found best in use, is folded back andforth upon the frame or top piece I, so as to have an uniform width andheight, and the loose ends or any other loose portion 19 extends downinto the oil, which is taken up by capillary attraction into the body ofthe wick, and keeps the same constantly and continually saturated.

In putting the box on for the first time, all the loose parts beingremoved, the box is slipped on over the journal. 1t is then raisedsufficiently to allow the brass or loose journalbearing to he slippedinto place, and the box, by its own weight, will hold the same in properposition. The Wick being first saturated with oil, and a small quantityof oil being poured into the drawer, the wick being depressed by hand toallow of its passage under the end of the journal, the drawer isinserted into the box, it being understood that its inner groove hasbeen previously packed with leather or other suitable material. Nothingnow remains to be done, except closing the open ends of the box.

Upon the inner end of the box a slide, I, preferably of wood, andfitting closely into the slot f and groove 6, is pushed down upon thejournal, the lower end of such slide conforming to the outline of saidjournal and reaching down to the top of the packing-groove upon theinner end of the drawer, said slide and such packing groove completelyand closely encircling such journal, and preventin g the escape of oiland the intrusion of dust or dirt.

The front or outer slide J is a casting of a proper form to fit into thegrooves g, having a head, g, which limits its passage down said grooves,and a spring, K, to hold it from rising vertically in said grooves. Thisspring is a single leaf secured at its lower end 1" upon the outside ofthe slide; then bent outwardly, so as to form a handle by which to raisethe slide; then bent inwardly and passing through a proper slot near thetop of said slide, and its upper end 8 curved upwardly. When the slideis inserted in its grooves and pushed downwardly, the curved end 8striking the top front of the box is pressed outwardly,

and thus passes down over the front of the box and over the part g andthen springs in under such part and engages in the groove g which thusholds such slide down in place.

When the slide is raised, the outwardlycurved center of the spring beinggrasped as a handle, by the act of grasping withdraws the inner end ofthe spring from its holding groove, and disengages the slide. At thesame time the inner curved end of the spring, by reason of its upwardcurve, cannot be drawn through the slot in the slide.

The particular advantages claimed for my device are its simplicity ofconstruction, in which no unnecessary or eumbrous attachments are foundto the annoyance of the train-hands, and in which no screws or otherfastenings are found, requiring tools for their manipulation also, inthe great economy of its use in the saving of oil, of which it uses theminimum, and wastes absolutely none; also, in its efficiency, the workof removing, replacing for repair, examination, and for oiling beingvery easy, and requiring no particular skill, and the lubrication beingautomatic, regular, and sufficient, and finally in avoiding the ordinaryand expensive use of cotton waste, woolen rags, and wool, which arecostly and wasteful of oil.

Having thus described my device and its manner of use, and some of itsadvantages, what I claim as new therein and my own invention is- 1. Themetal drawer E, having longitudinal partitions F and upper side wallsadapted to fit into and be secured within a cut-away portion of theinner walls of the axle-box, substantially as described and shown.

2. In combination with the drawer E, the wick-holder G and wick H 19,substantially as described and shown.

3. In combination with the slide J, the leafspring K, placed upon theoutside of said slide, and curved outward centrally to serve as ahandle, substantially as described and shown.

4. In combination with the drawer E, the upper loose journal-bearing,having lips d, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 3d day of November, 1874..

' GREENLEAF HOULTON.

l/Vitnessesz JNo. XV. DANENI-IOWER, GEO. L. DYER.

